Shadow
by A. Windsor
Summary: Four years post BDM, Mal returns to Shadow, wife and son in tow. Another Pirate Children story.
1. Part 1

Title: Shadow

Rating: pretty G for now

Characters: the whole crew, plus toddlers Kacey and Lolly, Baby Abey

Pairings: Heavy on the M/I, trying not to neglect the rest of canon (S/K, Z/W, J/Vera)

Summary: Set 4 years post-BDM, Mal and the crew has a job on Shadow.

Author's Note: As has been stated in earlier PC fics, I'm playing with Mal's and Inara's histories here. In this fic, this means that Mal still has family on Shadow and that Shadow isn't a dead rock, as I've heard tell. I'm working on two other PC stories at the moment, but this one is getting the most attention. I know people wanted more of the kids (and they'll get them eventually) but I wanted to try my hand at more of the series characters this time. It's an experiment. Please be constructively critical.

Part 1

Laney Reynolds Stokes lives a simple life on Shadow. She and her husband run a cotton plantation on the river with their six children and ten grandchildren (and counting, liable to be eleven any moment now). She wasn't raised to be a cotton planter, but after marrying Silas Stokes, heir to the largest plantation on the St. Mary's River, she left the grassy ranch of her youth, taking her younger brothers, Jack and Emmerson, along. Her younger sister Margaret stayed on the ranch, raised a little boy of her own, and passed away shortly after the War of Unification. Despite the size of the plantation, the Reynolds-Stokes family live moderately, working their own fields alongside hired day laborers and making most of their own clothes. Life is just simpler that way, and Laney's family has always been about simple.

She doesn't think about Maggie very much, doesn't have time to between playing matriarch, seeing to the books, and stopping her grown brothers' squabbling, but every time she does think of her baby sis, she wonders on the nephew she hasn't seen since his mama's funeral. The boy disappeared the moment the funeral was over, stoic lady-friend in tow, and hasn't been home since. From the few times she saw him growing up, she knew he was a sweet boy, loyal to his mama and hard-working. He broke Maggie's heart when he joined up, but she believed as heartily in the Independent cause as her impetuous son and let him go. He only made it home once before she died right after the Battle of Serenity Valley.

"Nana," little Kenna Stokes pulls her out of daydreaming, tugging on her skirts. "Nana, somethin's burnin'."

Laney stands suddenly, pushing away from the kitchen table and hurrying over to the stove. She sighs. She's getting too easily distracted in her old age.

"Alright, Kenna, you wanna help Nana make some more cookies? These are goners."

* * *

It was a perfectly wonderful day until this moment. Abe is finally sleeping through most of the night, which means everyone is relatively well rested and happy in the morning, and today Mal started off with a leisurely breakfast with wife and son. Aside from an unfortunate, and highly amusing, projectile rice cereal incident that had him changing his shirt already, his morning was absolutely wonderful, culminating in a highly profitable job offer around eleven. The crew could use the safe, semi-legal cash since things have been a little tight since the arrival of _Serenity_'s third tiny mouth to feed.

But at this moment, a gigantic wrench is being thrown in his splendid day.

"I'm sorry… You want me to transport cotton from _where_?"

"Shadow," his contact, Chiang Paul, says, confusion tinting his voice. "Mal, this job is perfect for you. You're a local boy: they'll love that. And it's safe. Maybe breaking a few tariff laws, but there's so much cotton pouring out of the St. Mary's region these days, no one's lookin' too closely. You can't do better: the Stokes family owns the biggest cotton plot on the river."

Mal feels his blood rush to his head, pounding in his ears.

"The Stokes place?"

"Yeah. Ever heard of it? Nice big family runs it…"

Has he heard of it? Hell, he's seen it. He has memories of jumping off that old dock house into the cool river below, hollering all the way down with his cousins, laying on his back and letting the current carry him back to the ladder, studying the sun filtering through the Spanish moss-laden live oaks, his mama and Aunt Laney sitting on the bluff and gabbing like the sisters they were. They are some of the best memories of his early life, that handful of trips to his aunt's home.

"Mal, you okay?"

"Fine," Mal says, snapping up. "Sorry, Paul. I'm not sure I can take this job."

"Why not, Mal?" the part-Sino man objects, leaning closer into the screen. "This job is perfect. The Stokes are mighty picky about their transporters, but you're a sure bet to win 'em over quick! You're a family man now, Mal; you're not gonna get another offer this safe that has this big of a take."

"How much?" Mal asks, swallowing, thinking of how quickly Kacey and Lolly are outgrowing their clothes, how many diapers his baby boy goes through in a day.

Chiang Paul utters a figure that knocks Mal back into the pilot's seat.

"_Aiya_! For cotton?!"

"Natural's in on Londinium and Sihnon, so the textile mills on Harvest and Three Hills are ordering triple their usual in fine Shadow-raised cotton. Can't find better quality in the 'verse. And of all the cotton on Shadow, ain't none better than St. Mary's cotton."

Mal sighs, takes a deep breath. "Alright, Paul. I'll let my crew know and get back to you with an ETA."

Chiang Paul is over the moon, telling Mal how much money they're going to make on this and thanking him profusely.

Mal manages to end the conversation quickly and retreat. He finds himself in the cargo bay, leaning against some piled crates while he thinks about Shadow and how much he really doesn't want to go back there. But the take's too good, and he's got more mouths than ever to feed. He feels eyes on him and looks up.

The sight that greets him momentarily takes his mind off of everything, his two angels on the catwalk above, Abe contentedly on Inara's hip, a smile on his wife's face but worry in her eyes, their son's tiny hand tangled in her long curls. Inara whispers something in Abe's ear and points to Mal. The ten-month-old gives a gap-toothed grin and chatters: "Da-da-da-da-da."

"Up already?" Mal questions, putting on his best "everything is fine" face. He knows it is pointless to try and fool a trained Companion, especially one who knows him so well, but he knows the effort will at least help convince her to hold off questioning for a while. He quickly climbs the steps, and Inara meets in the middle of the catwalk, Abe stretching out for him. "'Morning, Bubba. Good nap?"

Abe lets forth a string of baby babble, and Mal chuckles despite his worry, taking the infant from his wife and pausing to kiss her temple in the process, lost in the rightness of the three of them together.

"You get a word of that?" Mal asks, brow quirked.

"Excellent nap, thank you, Daddy. Loosely translated," Inara says dryly.

"You keep surprising me, woman. You speak baby, huh?"

"Fluently." She furrows her brow, studying him, then demands. "What is it?"

Mal bounces Abe gently, focusing on the boy while he forms a response. "Got a call from Chiang Paul. He's got a job for us. A good one."

Her eyes narrow as she studies him. "That's wonderful. We're getting a little behind… What's the problem, Mal?"

Mal sits down, Abe in his lap. Inara joins him, gracefully draping her legs over the side.

"It's haulin' cotton. Off Shadow. Off my aunt's plantation on Shadow, more specifically."

Inara pauses, caught off guard. Mal has dropped very few hints about his past in their years together. It is an understanding they have, that whatever their lives were like before is unimportant, that in order for them to work there can be no pressure to share their secrets. Each is more than willing to listen when the other is feeling truthsome, but questions are rare and innocent. She takes a breath.

"I didn't… I didn't realize you still had family on Shadow. You told me about your mother, that she…"

"Yeah, right after Serenity Valley."

Abe squirms, reaching for his mama, and Mal hands him off with a kiss on the top of his soft, dark hair.

"My aunt, she married into one of the cotton families on the river, brought my two uncles with her when she moved. They all kinda reestablished themselves as river folk, but my ma stuck to the ranch, raised me. Got gobs of cousins. Only visited them a couple times growin' up…"

Inara lifts their antsy ten-month-old onto her shoulder, tickling his belly slightly, and chooses her next words as carefully as possible.

"Mal… we don't have to…"

"Yes, we do," Mal cuts back, avoiding her eyes.

"There are other jobs…"

"You said yourself that we're comin' up short, and you'd know best. We need this. It's safe. Legal-ish."

"But we can make do, Mal."

"I don't want y'all to 'make do'," Mal responds, voice louder, harsher than he likes. Abe gives a little start, turning wide dark eyes to his daddy. Mal adds softly, with a gentle pat on the boy's rump: "Sorry, Bubba. Look, everyone on this boat works hard, an' if we can get good work paying this kinda money, I can't turn it down. An' you and Abe deserve more than scraping by. When it's unavoidable, that's one thing, but if I can help it…"

"Mal…"

"Takin' the job. No reason not to. Now if you two'll excuse me for a few moments," he says with a kiss for each, "I'm gonna go consult with my pilots and first mate. Lunch in an hour?"

"Sure," Inara says, hesitantly, still studying him as he rises and offers her a hand.

"Think we can lay off the flinging of food this time, Bubba?" he asks their son, making a silly face.

Abe giggles and babbles in response, grabbing for Mal's nose.

"I'm holdin' you to that," Mal says seriously to the infant. Then he looks to Inara and gives her a reassuring smile. "That was a yes, right? Loosely translated, o' course."

"Roughly, yes. But he's making no promises."

Mal chuckles and leaves them with a final smile that seems mostly genuine. He pauses at the stairs up to the bridge and turns to look at his wife. "We'll, uh, talk more later."

* * *

"Wash, have you seen Mal?" Inara asks, breezing into the kitchen in search of husband and son.

Taking their attention away from the dinosaurs lined up on the long dining table, Wash and Kacey look up at her, twin smiles in place. Three-and-a-half-year-old Kacey looks to be fresh out of the bath, dino pjs on, tight curls still a little wet.

"I think he's on the bridge, Inara. Saw him take Abe up there a little while back."

"Thank you. What are you two up to?"

"Dinos!" Kacey tells her with a giggle, blue eyes bright, grabbing a T-rex and waving him at her.

"Oh, of course," Inara smiles, brushing a hand over his curls and tugging on his ear gently. Kacey laughs and shakes his head.

"Kacey, time for bed," Zoe calls from the crew quarters.

Kacey pouts momentarily, then calls back, "Yes, Mommy! Tell me a story, Daddy?"

"Of course," Wash says, scooping the boy up and flying him around. "Say goodnight to your aunt first."

"'Night, Aun' 'Nara," Kacey sings as Wash flies him up to her. He puckers up adorably, and Inara grants him a goodnight kiss before he soars off to bed, his distinct belly laugh echoing down the hall. Inara follows a few minutes after, climbing the stairs to the bridge.

She finds Mal and Abe in the pilot's chair, passed out cold. Mal is even snoring, Abe curled up on his chest. She's surprised that Mal can relax enough to sleep, but pauses to enjoy the view.

"You just gonna stare or you gonna join us?"

Mal cracks his eyes just enough to see her smiling affectionately at them. He expertly shifts Abe over to the far right and extends his left arm for her to curl up with them. She shoots him a skeptical look, but he gestures again for her to join them, and she acquiesces, sliding into his lap. Head on Mal's shoulder and hand on Abe's back, she closes her eyes and enjoys the moment.

This isn't the life she was supposed to lead, the life prescribed for her. Even if she hadn't entered a training house at twelve, her life would have been drastically different, a stuffy marriage to a social equal, children raised to be perfect little citizens of the Alliance, pawned off on nannies. And Companions usually don't marry, don't have children. She certainly hadn't planned on it. But she wouldn't trade her life now for all of the riches on Londinium, all the beauty and security of House Madrassa.

"Be on Shadow in three days," Mal says, voice rough and deep from sleep, his words heard as much through her bones as her ears. His left arm tightens around her waist.

She opens her eyes and tilts her head to look at him, not pressing, knowing it will come.

"My, uh, my aunt doesn't know I'm the one comin' yet. Debating whether or not to send her a wave. What's your thinking on the matter?"

His voice is soft, as not to wake Abram.

"It's your family, Mal, your decision."

"Your family, too, now. I seem to remember some vows we took to that effect."

She returns his playful grin with a soft smile and runs her fingers down his cheek, settling on his chest. Before she can respond, though, a lithe figure materializes beside them, as if out of nowhere.

"I'll take Abram," River says quietly, gesturing to the infant with her unique brand of lucidity. Mal tenses a little: he still has some PDA issues, but to his credit, he doesn't dump her or their son onto the ground.

River sounds like she's offering assistance, but Inara has been studying River with Abram over the past ten months and knows there are selfish motives as well, that River feels more relaxed with Abram, and to a lesser extent the other children, that they keep her relatively sane.

"Uh, sure," Mal says, handing the sleeping infant off.

"Thanks, River. If he wakes up, there's a…"

"Bottle in the refrigeration unit. I know. Done this before."

Abe, still asleep, curls into River's shoulder as he settles down. He fits well there. Inara gives her a warm smile.

"We'll find you, when you're done," the younger woman announces.

And River disappears as silently and gracefully as she came.

"Well, that's always more'n a mite strange."

Inara laughs gently and settles her head back onto his shoulder.

"So, you were about to say…" Mal leads, fingers running up and down her spine.

"It's your call, Mal. But she might like to hear from you. She's going to know eventually; it's just a question of when and how."

"An' it may be less of a shock via cortex rather than when I step off the boat," Mal finishes, seeing her logic.

"But this is your choice, Mal."

"Best take advantage of it, then, seein' as that's a rare occurrence in this marriage," he teases, earning a sharp poke in the ribs that he returns with a kiss.

* * *

"Hello, you've reached the Stokes' residence. Please leave a recorded wave and we'll get back to you as soon as possible."

"Um, hey Aunt Laney. This is Malcolm, your nephew…"

* * *

TBC 


	2. Part 2

Title: Shadow

Rating: pretty G for now

Characters: the whole crew, plus toddlers Kacey and Lolly, Baby Abey

Pairings: Heavy on the M/I, trying not to neglect the rest of canon (S/K, Z/W, J/Vera)

Summary: Set 4 years post-BDM, Mal and the crew has a job on Shadow.

Author's Note:

For those confused by the children and this world, please read the rest of the Pirate Children stories (here in chronological order): Brother, Shadow (this one), Pirate Children, and Hell-Raising. This story is going to be multi-chaptered, along the lines of PC. After all, that one is about Inara going home; this is Mal's turn. Nothing too awkward yet, but there is more to come. Also, this is the first of the stories where the children are not featured prominently (it's hard when they're 1, 2.5, and 3.5) and poor little Serra isn't even born yet. She's feeling a little neglected. But I'm very nervous about my adult characterizations, so be nice:)

Part 2

"He's coming in this afternoon?" Laney's eldest daughter questions loudly over the flock of squealing Reynolds-Stokes children who are high-tailing it out of church, wrinkling and dirtying their Sunday clothes in the grass and mud of the churchyard. Hannah, heavy with her third child, keeps one eye trained on her two rambunctious boys (she's been praying for a girl) and another on her mother beside her.

"Yes. After lunch. We'll be cooking all afternoon."

Laney is bright, glowing over the impending return of her nephew to Shadow. Hannah smiles at her mother, hands supporting her burdened lower back, but is more wary of her cousin's arrival than her mother. She remembers the dark, broken young veteran who attended her aunt's funeral, while Laney remembers the mischievous little boy who helped the Reynolds-Stokes boys chase Hannah and the other girls around the cotton fields, brandishing snakes and toads.

"He's taking the crop to Three Hills?" she asks. "Trying for the regular transport job?"

"Yes, wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Hannah tries to smile reassuringly.

"Nana! Kenna bit me!"

* * *

"So, uh, you're gonna need to be on your best behavior, _dong ma_?"

"Yep, Uncle Mal," Kacey answers, overly chipper, while continuing to color a beautiful abstract picture of… something.

"And you?"

"Okay," Lolly answers with little thought, coloring her own masterpiece, chewing on her pinky thoughtfully before adding a red circle to her… puppy?

"How 'bout you?"

Abe, snug in his highchair with a few blocks strewn in front of him, just grins, revealing his four teeth.

Mal sighs. They're not taking him very seriously. He's not quite sure how he got stuck with all three children around the kitchen table while everyone else prepares to land, but he can't just leave them (at three-and-a-half, two-and-a-half, and almost-one) to their own devices. Thankfully, they're relatively calm at the moment, even if they are basically ignoring him.

"Whatcha drawin', little Washburn?"

"Mommy," Kacey answers in all seriousness, which makes Mal want to laugh.

"Captain?" Wash's voice comes over the comm.

"Hi Dad!"

"Hi, Kacey. Is Uncle Mal with you?"

"I'm here, Wash," Mal sighs, fishing a crayon out of Lolly's mouth, thinking, _When'd I get so gorramn domesticated?_

"We're comin' up on atmo, Captain. You coming up to the bridge?"

"Was plannin' on it," Mal says, watching the younger members of _Serenity _make goofy faces at each other.

"What's the problem?"

"Mmmmmamamamama," Abe sings, straining out of his highchair. Mal turns to see Inara entering the kitchen, dressed fairly nicer than was usual these days, though nothing as fancy as her earlier days aboard _Serenity_. Not that she doesn't look beautiful every gorramn day of the week.

"No problem, Wash. Be right there. Tag, you're it, darlin'," Mal directs at Inara.

"I'd gathered. Off to captain?"

"Somethin' like that. Gotta make sure Wash doesn't crash us. Or maybe make sure he does."

"Mal, we don't have to do this," Inara reminds him, brushing a hand over Abe's dark hair in an attempt to calm his squirming. Now that Mama's entered the room, the highchair just won't cut it.

"Might as well see it through. 'Sides, I'm bringing a mighty cute baby for everyone to coo over. That'll take all the attention off me." He grins affectionately at her, gently squeezing her shoulder. "See ya when we hit dirt. Y'all be good for Aunt 'Nara, hear? Draw me some pretty pictures; cupboards're lookin' a little blank as of late."

"Okay," Lolly and Kacey answer, just out of synch with each other.

As he leaves, Inara has freed Abram from his prison and the pair is seated between the two toddlers, inspecting their work.

"Oh, Kacey, that's a beautiful portrait of your mommy…"

Mal rolls his eyes and heads up the stairs, joining the Washburns and River on the bridge.

"She's a mighty pretty rock, sir," Zoe says by way of greeting.

"That she is," Mal sighs, hands on his hips as he surveys his home world for the first time in a decade. He feels a little sick to his stomach.

"Touching down in seven. Just got clearance," Wash announces.

"Comin' in a little hot," Mal warns.

"Fallacious," River answers from the co-pilot's seat without even looking up.

"Breathe, sir."

"Good job. Good money. Can't turn in down," River says lyrically, flipping a few switches. "Malcolm's coming home."

* * *

They set down on the concrete landing pad, half a mile down a live oak-lined, riverside grassy drive from the plantation house. The house stands proud with its white columns and gray brick porch, the dock peeking through the trees to its right. The grass is thick and broad, crunching under the feet of the crew as they make their way towards the Stokes residence.

"I can walk," Kacey insists, squirming in Wash's arms. "I'm big."

Lolly Tam also asks her father to be put down and toddles after her "cousin", struggling to keep up with his longer stride. The two dance ahead of the adults, giggling, and River jogs up to join them, starting a running game of tag that pinks the little ones' cheeks in exertion.

Abe refuses to be put down or handed off, which is not unusual. He's in a mother-obsession stage. Inara shifts Abe on her hip, disentangling his fingers from her half-pulled back hair.

"You're getting too heavy from this, baby," she says lightly, kissing his temple. He just holds on tighter.

"You'll miss it once he starts walkin'," Kaylee warns warmly from beside her. "Then you won't be able to keep him still long enough to cuddle."

She tickles Abe's ribs at this, earning a giggle and a grin, but a stalwart refusal to change hands.

"Ah, Baby Abey, stop eatin' Mama's hair," Kaylee laughs, extracting one of her friend's dark curls from the infant's mouth. Inara smiles and meets Kaylee's eyes. The younger woman returns the grin and then gestures to the rear of their group. "Cap'n looks real nervy."

Inara looks over her shoulder at Mal, who is walking a little behind the others, hands his brown coat's pockets. "He doesn't like to even talk about his past and now we're all walking right into it."

"Yeah, I guess that would be a mite hard. It'll be shiny, though. He'll see."

Inara smiles at Kaylee's eternal optimism and ventures another look at Mal, who meets her eyes and tries to reassure her with a grin. His eyes say something different.

Kacey, Lolly, and River are almost to the porch now, and Inara notes that there are four adults standing at the front door, watching the crew of _Serenity _approach. When the tag-playing trio reaches the porch, River introduces herself (Inara would probably pay to see that conversation) and then the toddlers. Kacey and Lolly, even at their young ages, take after their father and mother, respectively; they've never met a stranger. Kaylee hurries ahead to join her daughter, scooping the girl up playfully before introducing herself. Wash, Simon, and Jayne are right behind her, meeting everyone. Zoe, Mal, and Inara linger, until eventually Zoe steps forward.

"Mrs. Stokes, Zoe Washburn. We met briefly a few years back."

The woman she is addressing is in the center of the group. Beside her is a pregnant woman about Mal's age and two older men with balding, sunburned heads and vibrant smiles.

"I remember. And you probably have met all of these, too. My brothers, Jack and Emmerson, my daughter Hannah."

Zoe nods in greeting.

"Cap'n, aren't you gonna say hi to your family?" Kaylee finally asks, a little frustrated.

Inara squeezes Mal's arm, gently nudging him towards his aunt.

"Uh, hi, Aunt Laney, Uncle Jack, Uncle Em. Hannah. Nice to see ya."

Inara fights the urge to roll her eyes, depositing Abram in Mal's arms and stepping forward with a gracious smile.

"I'm Inara," she introduces herself, extending her hand.

Laney has a big smile on her face, sweeping Inara into a hug. "Malcolm Reynolds! We talked just the other day and you didn't mention you'd gotten yourself hitched! That babe yours?"

As Laney releases her, Inara retrieves a somewhat disgruntled Abram (Daddy's almost as good as Mama, but not quite). The infant giggles happily and begins to babble.

"This is Abram," she says, holding him so he faces outward, surveying his new surroundings. His dark eyes are wide and searching, settling puzzledly on the newcomers.

"Abe. We call him Abe," Mal says, stepping forward to join his family, hesitant smile in place. "Thought I wouldn't surprise you all at once, ya know? One heart attack at the time."

Laney pulls him into a giant hug as well. "Welcome back, Malcolm. Everyone else is out back, finishing up the boil."

Mal pulls back, just a little uncomfortably, from the embrace. "Everyone?"

"Everyone," Hannah speaks for the first time, "All sixteen Reynolds cousins. Or I guess seventeen now. Plus kids."

"There food?" Jayne asks, impatiently.

"Dad, hungry."

"Be patient, Kacey," Zoe says.

"Me, too, Mommy," Lolly adds.

"Well then, the little ones have spoken," one of the Reynolds brothers (Jack? Emmerson? They look too much alike to be sure) chuckles. "Let's head on back. Malcolm, you, Si, Em, and I have some business to talk, but not 'til after we're stuffed."

Jack and Emmerson lead the crew around to the back of the house, Laney walking with Inara and baby Abram, cooing over her little nephew. He's refusing to go to her, but is perfectly charming and talkative if he stays in Mama's arms.

Hannah brings up the rear with Malcolm, walking slowly, hand on her back.

"Welcome back to the river, Mally."

Mal is suddenly lost in pulling pigtails and finding toads. He grins, though a little embarrassed, at the nickname.

"Brat," he says, throwing an arm around his older cousin. "No one calls me that, Hannah Stokes. You look fit to pop. Now if you're a good Reynolds-Stokes, this is what? Number seven?"

"Ha! Three, thank you very much. Hopin' for a girl. Only got the two boys now."

"I think the one's all I can handle. And even then, it's mostly 'Nara," Mal admits. The years have melted away, and it's his last summer on the river. He's seventeen, Hannah's nineteen, and they're walking back from church, talking about nothing important.

"Pretty little wife you found yourself, Mal. You ain't the same man who was here for the funeral."

"No, can't say I am. Not quite sure how it happened, but know it's got somethin' to do with that whole crew up there. Even the loud, obnoxious one."

"Not easy, bein' back, is it? Don't lie to me, Mally. I've always been able to read you like a book. Like that last summer, when I caught you sneakin' back from the dock, just about the same time Josie Chen's boat was leavin'."

"Hey, now!" Mal objects. "That was totally innocent. And save the teenage Mal stories, huh? Got a reputation to uphold. And a wife could kill me if she wanted."

They round the corner to chaos, a familiar scene on this plantation. His Uncle Silas and several other younger men are gathered around a row of large pots full of boiling shrimp, corn, potatoes, and sausage, if Mal remembers anything about these boils. Children are running around playing tag and ball, some fighting over the trio of wooden swings that hang from the three oaks closest to the house. Mal watches Kacey escape from Zoe and Wash, chasing after a red ball with a couple of other children his age. Little Leila Lee Tam, all blonde hair and bright blue eyes, pulls Simon immediately to one of the swings recently vacated as the older children begin a game of freeze tag.

"That Rachel?" Mal asks, a little bit of shock in his voice, as he points to a young woman helping set up the serving table, sandy brown hair pulled in a loose ponytail.

"Yep," Hannah answers, laughing at his recognition of the youngest Reynolds cousin. "Grown up a little, huh? Twenty-two, last birthday. Engaged to a boy from up the river. Uncle Em's still deciding if he likes him or not."

There's a commotion over by the pots and then one of the younger men hollers: "Dinner's on!" The contents of the four pots are dumped onto the paper-covered serving table, the children dashing over to be first in line.

* * *

This is the most amazing food she's had in years, Kaylee decides half-way through her first plate. Her decision remains unchanged at the end of her fourth. The sun's set, and frogs and bugs are beginning to sing down by the river. Many of the younger children have been herded into one of the nearby houses to sleep. Doesn't really matter which one, one of Mal's cousins tells her, they all sleep everywhere during the summer and on weekends, lines of bunk beds fill a room in each house, apparently. The older children are down on the dock with flashlights and sparklers. Polly, Mal's cousin, mother to ten-year-old James and seven-year-old Emma, tells her they are probably telling ghost stories and daring each other to jump off of the dock.

Lolly is asleep, too, curled up in Simon's arms beside Kaylee at the picnic table. Across the table, Kacey is conked out in Zoe's lap, a little bit of drool starting to hang. Emma, Polly's younger child, has refused to be herded to bed with the babies, but is starting to drift, head on the table while Polly rubs her back and talks to the Tams and Washburns. River has run off with the older children, telling her own ghost stories that delight and terrify them.

Jayne's drunk a little too much and is telling scandalous stories to a few Mal's cousins and their spouses at another table. They seem to be the younger cousins, in their twenties. The cousins more Mal's age are sitting at yet another table, behind Kaylee, a bottle of wine shared between them and their parents, telling old stories and shared jokes, talking business and weather and growing seasons. Inara is among them, at Laney's side. The matriarch has wanted to learn everything about her nephew's wife, and Inara is answering as diplomatically as possible while learning as much as she can about Mal's family and their way of life. Mal's family is enamored with Inara, but that doesn't surprise Kaylee. Inara's always been able to charm anyone.

Abram is not with her, which is a mite surprising considering his recent moods, nor is Mal nearby. He's probably escaped with the infant, though Kaylee doesn't know where, nor does she care as Simon puts his free arm around her. She puts her head on his shoulder, brushing a blond strand of hair from Lolly's sleep-warmed face.

Wash is telling another funny story, and everyone present laughs.

"Mally did not!" Polly cries, tears in her eyes from laughter.

Zoe starts laughing at that one.

"Mally?" Simon asks. "This is too good. That might need to come out next time our illustrious captain is in one of his oh-so-charming moods."

"Cap'n'll kill you," Zoe warns, still laughing.

"But ah, the momentary humor is worth the risk," Wash argues. "I'll risk death and call him Mally."

"I don't know, Wash. Might should be me," Kaylee grins, "You're not so safe now that River can fly, too."

"Mal's too scared of Zoe to put Wash out of the airlock," Simon counters.

There is hollering from the dock house, then a series of splashes and laughter. Polly sighs and stands, along with a few other women from the table behind Kaylee.

"James! You jump in that river?"

The other women likewise call for their children.

A chorus of "No' am" returns from the dock house among splashing and scurrying.

"Nice try!" Laney calls, "All of y'all get your bums up here this instant."

The children and River all run back to the picnic tables, every one of them soaked to the bone and sporting bright smiles.

"Shower off and get in bed," the matriarch orders. "Y'all know the rules about that dock after dark."

"But Miss River was there," the oldest of the children, Hannah's thirteen-year-old son, defends, "She's an adult."

Simon stands, handing Lolly off to Kaylee gently and going to collect his sister.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Stokes…" Simon starts.

"No, Ben's got a point. They didn't break the rules. Still, were right sneaky. Get to bed, all of ya."

"Yes, ma'am," they chorus in response, breaking apart to say goodnight to their parents and grandparents and Miss River before disappearing into one of the neighboring houses.

They murmur amongst themselves, disappointed that they have no opportunity to sleep down in the dock house tonight.

"You need a shower too, Miss River?" Laney asks, "We've got plenty of bathrooms."

"We should be headin' back to _Serenity_ for the night anyway, Mrs. Stokes," Zoe, Kacey curled on her shoulder, says, standing.

"We have room for you here," Laney counters, blue eyes bright in the firelight of the torches lines around the yard. "No need to sleep on the ship when we have real beds and real food here. You're not gonna refuse our hospitality, are ya?"

The idea of a real bed has Kaylee practically salivating already. "That would be real shiny, Zoe. Kacey and Lolly've never slept in beds weren't bolted down."

"Not my call. It's the captain's."

"Speaking of whom, where is Mal?" Inara asks.

* * *

TBC 


	3. Part 3

Title: Shadow

Rating: movin' on up to PG. "So there /is/ kissin'..."

Characters: the whole crew, plus toddlers Kacey and Lolly, Baby Abey

Pairings: Heavy on the M/I, trying not to neglect the rest of canon (S/K, Z/W, J/Vera)

Summary: Set 4 years post-BDM, Mal and the crew has a job on Shadow.

Author's Note: This entire story is dedicated to my homesickness. :) The St. Mary's River and all dock-jumping antics are dedicated to Savannah, Georgia.

Part 3

She finds him down by the river, back pressed against an old oak, Abe sleeping on his shoulder.

"It's getting cold," she says, sitting gingerly beside him, pressing their shoulders together. She slips Abe from his grasp and settles him snugly against her breast. Mal puts his arm around her, tugging her closer and burying his face in her dark hair, lost in the soft and the scent.

"She used to love these things."

His voice is muffled by her hair. Inara knows whom he's talking about, immediately.

"Never could get any seafood on the ranch. Only kind available was imported from here, too expensive. She loved shrimp. Ocean's just a few miles down the river, you know. Keaton, Chris, and me used to take the boat out, ride over the shrimpers' wake. They're just a couple years younger. Better with the boat, though."

He pauses.

"I met them. Keaton looks like you," she says softly, gently prodding him to continue.

"Yeah. She and Aunt Laney loved teasing each other, saying they'd had twins a year and hundreds of miles apart." He laughs roughly. "Like I said, she loved these things. All the family together. Kids on the dock used to be me and my cousins, Hannah watchin' over us like a mother hen. Only two years older'n me, but all kinds of uppity. She used to squeal, too. We'd threaten to push her in or put snakes in her bed; she'd go cryin' to Ma and Aunt Laney. They'd be too busy gabbing to yell at us and send Uncle Em and Uncle Jack instead. They were old softies when it came to us kids, though. They'd grump for a bit, then toss us over the railing, knowing we were laughing the whole way down… And Ma, she'd…"

She feels something wet against her neck, and her own eyes fill with tears. She presses a kiss to his hair, resting a comforting hand on his thigh. Mal doesn't cry, as a rule. There are, of course, exceptions, times when his eyes get wet: the first anniversary of Miranda and the loss of Shepherd Book, near loss of Wash, that one nightmare that gripped him a few months into their sharing of a bed, the sounds and smells of the Valley haunting him, and the first time he held Abram in his arms.

"Never wanted to come back. She's in everything on this gorramn rock. An' we ain't even on the ranch… 'Nara, I ain't the boy they remember, young and idealistic. Never gonna be him again. But I'm not the man who came home after the Valley neither, broken and dead inside. Never wanna be him again. He didn't cry at his own mama's funeral, had lost too much to feel it. But here, I feel like both of 'em."

"Mal," she whispers, a few tears escaping. She stops them, staying strong. Abe snuggles further into her chest in his sleep, making a few little noises. "I don't… Maybe you should go. To the ranch, I mean."

"I can't. Look at me now, 'Nara. Going there… seeing what's become of it…"  
"It could be cathartic."

"I don't…"

He lifts his head out of her hair now, composes his face. She tilts her face up to put a soft, silencing kiss on his lips, then his cheek. "Just think about it. Now, you have a captaining decision to make. Your aunt has offered the guest rooms to the crew."

"We got beds on the boat."

"Not that aren't bolted to the ground. Nor do we have real bathtubs and showers and several other things that have Mrs. Tam salivating."

Mal snorts. "Don't wanna put Laney out."

"I think she'd be offended if we decline her hospitality."

"She certainly would," Mal agrees, beginning to stretch out his neck. "What I remember about these houses, there's plenty of space. No use to deprive the crew of a little leisure. Don't get much o' that on the ground."

He squeezes her shoulder, kisses her temple, and then stands, feeling the last hour against the great oak painfully in his back. He hazards a glance over the river, two of Shadow's moons reflecting off the dark water. The moons also cast a glow on Inara's golden skin, get caught in her curls, illuminate little Abe's sweetly sleeping face. He smiles at her, this beautiful woman who, for reasons he still can't understand, consented to be his wife, bear his child. He offers her his hand, helping her up.

"He's out like a light," Mal comments, gesturing to their son, who smiles a little in his sleep, cheek nestled at his mama's breast.

"It was an exciting day. He had lots of attention before you stole off with him."

"Male bonding," Mal defends gruffly as they walk back up to the house.

"Of course," Inara smiles at him. "Dirty jokes and bar fights?"

"Hell no. Dirty jokes don't come 'til he's 'least five."

"Don't listen to anything Daddy ever says, Abram."

"Hey now! You can't be telling him that!"

* * *

"Oh, bathtub…"

Simon, returning to the cozy room provided by Mal's aunt after tucking Leila Lee into the bed she is sharing with Kacey, smiles at his wife's wistful face. She has just opened the door to the bathroom, which does indeed have a bathtub. It's not a particularly fancy or ornate bathtub: just your average household porcelain. Still, the jerry-rigged bathtub they have on _Serenity_ can barely fit the three children at a time, though Kacey and Lolly insist on always bathing together and with Abram.

"Climb on in, _bao bei_."

"She go down easy?"

Little Lolly woke briefly while everyone was moving the things into the house, disoriented and cranky at being disturbed.

"Perfectly. River's sleeping with them, and you know how Lolly is with Kacey."

"It's right cute," Kaylee smiles, "The two of them always cuddling and looking out for each other and 'Baby Abey'. They're like siblings."

Simon wraps his arms around her waist, kissing her temple. "So, the captain hasn't had an aneurism yet. Jayne and Wash have bet going."

"Oh, I'm in on it," Kaylee laughs, "I got tomorrow 'fore lunch. You should go in."

"I think betting on a patient's medical condition is against the Hippocratic Oath."

"But it's fun… Nah, he's got 'Nara and Abe. He won't have an aneurism. Non-fatal heart attack, maybe… 'Nara'd be too pissed if he died on her."

Simon laughs gently. "Are you going to take a bath or just stare at the tub? Because if you're not going to use it, I'd like to."

Kaylee grins. "We could use it together…"

* * *

"I love big, fluffy beds," Wash sighs, stretching the wonderful sleep from his bones. "Why don't we have big fluffy beds?"

"Because they're… big? And our rooms are small?" Zoe answers, sliding out from under the cover reluctantly, enjoying the sunlight shining through the curtains, warming her skin.

"Not the Captain and Inara's. How is that fair?"

"Do you really want them right next door?"

"Ooh. True. Better for the chi of the rest of the ship that we shut them off. I'm starving." He sniffs the air. "I smell bacon. And eggs. And they're real."

"You sound like Kacey."

He smiles. "No. That would be: 'Dad! I'm hungry. Dad? Dad, Dad, Dad. Hungry, hungry, hungry!'"

"Shut up, Husband," Zoe laughs pausing in her dressing for the day to lean over the bed and kiss him.

The wooden bedroom door swings open, slamming loudly. "Dad! Breakfast! I'm hungry!"

Wash groans. "I know him too well."

"Bacon, eggs, and pancakes," River's voice sings from the doorway, a sleepy-eyed Lolly on her hip.

Kacey bounces onto the bed, jumping back and forth from Mommy to Daddy at a blinding pace.

"Aunt River couldn't feed you?" Wash asks, pulling his pants on over his boxers and grabbing Kacey, throwing him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "Excuse us, Mommy. The boys need to eat."

He pauses in the doorway, placing a raspberry on Lolly's cheek. The little girl giggles and buries her face in River's shoulder.

Zoe finishes getting dressed and joins River and Lolly on the way to the breakfast table. The dining room is strangely empty, just Mr. and Mrs. Stokes busying themselves around the table, stacking pancakes in the center, spreading out platters of several types of eggs and piles of bacon.

"Looks good," Zoe says, watching her men sit down excitedly, blue eyes wide with excitement. "Where is everyone?"

River sets Lolly in a chair, tucking a napkin in the collar of her nightgown like a good aunt. She plops into the chair next to her and begins to serve each of them. Sometimes it surprises Zoe how easily River has taken to her role in raising the children.

"I sent them all off to the other houses for the mornin', let y'all have a peaceful waking after last night's chaos," Laney smiles as Zoe sits down on the other side of Kacey. "They'll all be back by lunch, those not in school, that is."

"Mornin'," comes a grunt from the doorway. "Ooh, bacon!"

"Good morning, Jayne. Please be less disgusting when you eat, as we're with company," River says without looking up from cutting Lolly's pancakes into manageable size.

Jayne opens his mouth to protest, but Zoe silences him with a harsh look.

Simon and Kaylee join them soon after, much to Lolly's delight. Zoe intervenes in a near-repeat of the Washburn men's great food fight of '20. Save the missing Captain and family, it's a normal breakfast time for the crew. But _Serenity_'s Reynolds soon make their presence known, two of them at least. Abe seems to be pitching a fit, and his face is red from the exertion of screaming when he and Mal enter the room.

"Uh-oh," Laney says, "Someone doesn't look too happy."

"Yeah. Apparently Daddy ain't cuttin' it this mornin'." He gives a hesitant smile to his aunt, which quickly turns to a grimace when Abe resumes his wailing. "Thought we'd try food to distract us while Mama's in the shower. Looks real good, Laney."

The aunt just smiles in return, continuing her conversation with Kaylee beside her.

Mal pulls apart a pancake after seating himself at the table, Abe in his lap. The infant calms to mere hiccups at the sigh of food, staring quizzically at the shredded pancake. Mal offers him a tiny piece, which the little one takes hesitantly in a chubby fist, pausing before shoveling it into his mouth. He immediately smacks his hand on the table, demanding more.

"I think he likes it, Cap'n," Kaylee laughs, wiping syrup from Lolly's face.

"'Course he likes it," Jayne counters, "First food he's had weren't mashed protein or breast milk."

"Thank you, Jayne. Pleasant as always," Mal grumbles, resolutely ignoring the mercenary in favor of drawing a giggle from the calmed Abram before handing him another small piece of food. He grins as Abe focuses almost too intently on the offered pancake, his brown eyes almost crossing.

"Mal," Silas says from the other end of the table. "Thought me and your other uncles could talk some business with you after breakfast, out at the storehouse. We got 80 of the crop harvested. Should be able to leave tomorrow evenin' or the mornin' after."

Mal nods. "Sure thing, Uncle Si. Soon as I can hand Bubba off long enough to eat myself."

"I'll take 'im, Cap'n," Kaylee offers, one of her cheerful smiles in place as she grabs her nephew. The boy begins to protest, but quiets when Aunt Kaylee offers him some of her pancake.

"Look, Mal, somethin' that'll actually shut 'im up," Jayne says.

"Jayne, that's my son you're talkin' on," Mal sighs, serving himself a heaping pile of eggs topped off with an artery-clogging amount of bacon.

"I know. And he's loud as…"

"Watch your mouth, Jayne. We got young ones at the table," Zoe warns.

Kacey giggles and leans over his mom's lap to poke Jayne with a fork.

"_Ai ya!_ Zoe, calm your brat. That's not appropriate table behavior."

Everyone turns questioning glances at the mercenary.

"Can't imagine where he learned that," Wash says sarcastically. "Tell me why did we name our son after him?"

"You ain't the picture of civility yourself, little man."

"Don' figh'!" little Lolly demands, brow furrowing.

Everyone but Jayne and Wash burst into laughter, Kaylee pausing in feeding Abe just long enough to plop a kiss on her daughter's head.

"You tell 'em, Leila Lee."

"As you can see, got our own little peacekeeper aboard," Mal grins, meeting his aunt's eyes over the long table. She returns the smile.

* * *

After breakfast, the crew of _Serenity_ is invited out to the dock, where Mrs. Stokes likes to do most of her entertaining. With the help of a life vest, Wash and Zoe attempt to teach Kacey to swim, while River calculates just how she can make a bigger splash than Jayne by jumping from the top of the dock house. Lolly and Abe sleep in the shade of the dock house, a quilt spread on the floor where the two are curled up together for their nap. It is autumn on the St. Mary's River, but still warm enough during the day to enjoy the water and sunlight. With Inara agreeing to keep an eye on Lolly, Simon and Kaylee escape to the top of the dock house, Mrs. Tam wishing to get a sun tan and watch Jayne and River's contest. Inara and Laney are alone with the sleeping children in the dock house, iced tea in hand. They're currently sharing a comfortable silence, Inara studying the view and Laney studying Inara.

The younger woman has an undoubtedly regal bearing. A Companion, Hannah guessed correctly last night. If any one would know, it would be Hannah. She is the only Reynolds-Stokes to have attended university off-planet, on Londinium to be exact. Others chose higher education as well, but stayed on Shadow, choosing from the handful of universities in the cities. Laney wasn't sure what to make of Inara's former vocation at first, since the profession is not looked upon with great respect by the church nor her own beliefs. But, aside from her stately grace, Inara is also warm and friendly, genuinely interested in Malcolm's past and family, even more so than Malcolm it would appear. That combined with the little boy almost constantly at her hip has charmed her way into Laney's heart.

"Remind me to get a few captures out for you when we go back to the house," Laney breaks their silence, after a long sip of sweet tea. "The old-fashioned paper kind, but in pretty good condition. I have one of Malcolm which looks much like little Abe."

Inara turns a smile, a beautiful one which must have snared Laney's nephew, to the older woman. "I can't wait to see them. He will absolutely hate that."

Laney laughs. "'Magine he would." She pauses before asking the next questions. "He doesn't wanna be here, does he?"

"No, not exactly. Mal… he isn't very open about his past, with any of us. I didn't even know he still had family on Shadow."

Laney ponders this, doesn't press. The war was rough for all of Shadow. Four of her children, the middle four, Keaton, Abigail, Colby, and Romey, all joined up. Most of her nieces and nephews joined as well. Keaton and Abigail joined the local defense force under the promise they would never have to leave Shadow. Colby was a medic in one of the artillery divisions, one that thankfully didn't see too much action in the war. And Romey… Romey was a fighter pilot, newly out of flight school, bound for Serenity Valley when the Independents surrendered and his squadron was ordered to turn around and go home. Laney finds herself guiltily thanking God every day for that.

But the war was especially hard on the Reynolds cousin who served in the most commanding capacity, the one who lost his soul in the Valley only to lose his mother before he could make it home.

"She would've loved you. And Abram. Maggie, I mean. Malcolm's mother. She would've been an amazing gramma, too. Spoiled him senseless… She was younger than me, three years. The two boys between us, all of us just a year apart. Raised on the ranch where Maggie raised Malcolm. All on her own, too, besides those ranch hands. And she was young, too. Just twenty-two. Mom and Pop passed on when she was sixteen, in the epidemic."

"And Mal's father?" Inara asks softly, reluctantly. She wants to know, but Mal has never brought it up.

Laney opens her mouth, about to respond, then shakes her head. "Better leave that one to Malcolm."

Inara nods, understanding. Lolly begins to stir, whimpering a little as she wakes. Inara retrieves her gently, not wanting her to wake Abe, and sits back down, the little blonde curling into Inara's lap, thumb in her mouth.

"Good morning, sweetie. Nice nap?" Inara asks softly, rubbing the girl's back gently as she gets used to her surroundings.

Lolly nods and burrows further into Aunt 'Nara, brow scrunched. After a few moments, she asks: "Mommy?"

"She's just upstairs, Lolly. She'll be down in a few minutes."

As if on cue, Kaylee comes down the stairs from the roof, smiling brightly when she notices her daughter.

"Hello, sweet pea," Kaylee greets. Lolly extends her arms, begging to go to her.

"Wan' hold you," Lolly murmurs sleepily. Kaylee grabs her and smiles her thanks to Inara, taking the little one down onto the floating dock to watch her family splash around with each other.

Inara checks on Abe briefly, brushing a dark sweaty curl from his brow. When she returns to her seat, she feels Laney's eyes on her. She looks up, questioningly. Laney is smiling.

"You're a natural mother, a caregiver," Laney smiles at her. "And you're good for Malcolm. I'm glad he found you."

Inara's eyes settle on Abram. She has to admit that she's glad, too.

* * *

It feels almost normal, natural. Joking with his uncles, listening to Keaton's sarcastic drawl compete with Christopher's cheery optimism. They have barely changed at all, still picking at each other and driving their fathers to distraction. Hannah plays mother hen still, the most learned member of the family keeping the books and affairs in order, even moments away from giving birth. Everyone is older, but it feels like nothing has changed.

All of it serves only to remind Mal further of his mother. Hannah looks like her, more than a little, light brown hair braided down her back, shrewd blue eyes staring out of a pretty face. He can still remember his first visit out here, barely old enough to be off his mama's hip, only five or six. She liked to let him run around out by the warehouse, let him run his hands over the baled cotton, climb them if his uncles weren't looking. She raised him well, was strict and stern most of the time, but she also loved to let him run, stretch his legs and expend his energy. It was just them growing up, no pa to speak of, their own secret club until puberty hit and he couldn't stand the embarrassment of being seen with her. Even then, though, when none of his friends or ranch hands were around, they would share little jokes and secrets.

Maggie Reynolds was only fifty when breast cancer took her life, one week after the remaining Browncoats laid down arms in Serenity Valley. Breast cancer is completely curable in the Core. Even on pre-war Shadow, breast cancer only claimed ten percent of its victims. During the war, the Alliance blockaded Independent Shadow, keeping out precious medicine. They killed as many Independent-friendly citizens that way as they did soldiers on the battlefield. Old age would never touch Maggie, and in Mal's mind she would remain the young, beautiful woman who's eyes sparkled when she kissed his cheek and tucked him in at night.

"You okay, Mal?" Keaton asks. Mal shakes his head, focusing on his cousin. He forgot where he was momentarily, caught in the remembering.

"Yeah, fine. So, crop'll be ready by Tuesday mornin'?"

Uncle Emmerson nods. "Buyers on Three Hills are expectin' it by the end of the week. Can your ship make up for the delay?"

"We're a day behind 'cause 'bout a third of the hired help came down with food poisoning," Hannah explains.

"Yeah, _Serenity_ can make it. Won't be a problem," Mal assures them, head still a little fuzzy from the reminiscing.

"All right," Uncle Si says, standing up from his seat on the stacked cotton of the warehouse. "We'll get all that loaded on your boat by dinner tomorrow, so you can leave 'next morning."

With that, the informal business meeting breaks apart, Si hollering at the hired men to make sure they stayed on schedule. Mal escapes quickly, in search of his crew.

He finds them on the dock. He can hear Jayne, Simon, and Wash playing in the water with the two toddlers, Lolly and Kacey squealing with laughter. He hears his aunt's voice, warm and gentle, speaking to someone who isn't responding. Looking through the screen, he sees Laney seated in one of the rocking chairs, Abe standing on her lap, his strong little legs pushing him up, hands firmly gripping his great-aunt's fingers. For not the first time, he wishes his ma were still alive, could meet her grandson. Mal hears more laughter, this from above him. He climbs the stairs up to the top, finding the four women of _Serenity_ sunning and girl-talking, he's sure. Kaylee's on her side, propped up on her elbow as she tells some outrageous story. River's on her back, staring directly above at the live oak branches, but she's laughing, too, engaged in the conversation. His increasingly less stoic first mate has a big grin on her face, seated cross-legged beside Kaylee's feet, shaking her head at what the younger woman's saying. Inara is in the middle, half-sitting, legs laid out in front of her, elbows supporting most of her weight, eyes sparkling and focused on Kaylee. The sun is in her hair, resting in a loose ponytail over one shoulder, catching on her earrings, warming the one shoulder exposed by her sari. She notices his arrival first, turning to smile at him.

"Hey, ladies," he greets, smiling at the pretty picture they make.

"Hi, Mal," his wife responds.

"Hey, Cap'n," Kaylee grins brightly.

"Sir," Zoe nods.

"Girl talk, Captain Daddy. No boys allowed."

"Well thanks, Albatross. Just came lookin' to talk to my wife quick. If you three can spare her."

"Aw, you spoil all of our fun," Kaylee whines teasingly. "Alright, if you must… We want her back soon, though, _dong ma_?"

"I'll try, Lil' Kaylee." He extends a hand to Inara, which she takes firmly and lets him help her up. He pulls her into him, a hand lightly on the small of her back, an instinctive kiss in her hair.

"Aw, look. Cap'n's actually showing affection in front of us."

"Feeling alright, sir?"

Inara laughs and presses a hand to his forehead. "Yes, are you feeling sick, dear?"

"_Ai ya._ Brats, all of you," he admonishes, threading his fingers through Inara's and leading her towards the stairs.

"They're holding hands," River sings annoyingly as they disappear down the stairs.

"I pay your salary," Mal sings back.

When they reach the bottom of the stairs, Mal presses her against the dock house and kisses her, needing to feel something warm and familiar, something that feels right when his whole sense of everything is swirling out of control.

He pulls back and tucks her hair behind her ear. She smiles at him return, a question in her eyes.

"I wanna go to the ranch."

* * *

TBC 


	4. Part 4

Title: Shadow

Rating: PG. "So there /is/ kissin'..."

Characters: the whole crew, plus toddlers Kacey and Lolly, Baby Abey, the Reynolds-Stokes clan

Pairings: Heavy on the M/I, trying not to neglect the rest of canon (S/K, Z/W, J/Vera)

Summary: Set 4 years post-BDM, Mal and the crew have a job on Shadow.

Author's Note: Thanks for the encouragement. Here's some more!

Part 4

Malcolm Reynolds doesn't believe in God anymore. He lost Him in the Valley and isn't likely to ever find Him again. But he re-found faith. Faith in _Serenity_, her crew, the family they formed. Faith in the woman who made him feel again, who loves him for reasons he often times has trouble understanding. Faith in that tiny infant who looks up at him with total trust in wide brown eyes, whom he felt grow in his wife's womb over nine months. One could even say he found a new religion, because he rocks his son and makes love to his wife with devotion akin to worship.

But his mama believed in God, had until the day she died, and raised him to believe in Him. She saw Him in every aspect of their daily lives on the ranch, in the ceaseless plains stretching out around them, in the births and deaths of the ranch's cattle, in the beams of the old ranch house where seven generations of Reynolds grew up. There's nothing left of the old ranch house now but a concrete foundation and a few charred beams. It's a shock to him. He didn't know it burned down. Something feels funny in his gut, his childhood lost forever in the ashes that had long since blown away.

Abe begins to cry behind him. He can hear Inara try to calm him, can imagine her bouncing him gently, whispering soft comforts. The poor thing's hungry, exhausted, his routine all out of whack, what with the fawning of relatives and being carted three hours in a shuttle to yet another unfamiliar place.

Why is he here? There's nothing left. Most of the land has been sold off, the forty odd ranch hands scattered. His Shadow youth lives only in his memory now. Maybe it's better there.

"Sorry I dragged y'all back here," Mal says, voice rough, as he turns around to look at them. "It's all gone…"

He trails off as he spots it over Inara's shoulder. She gives him a quizzical look, following his gaze to one of the few trees in the area and the stone sheltered in its shade.

"Oh, Mal…"

"I… I forgot it was there. What kind of son…"

"Mal, stop it."

Abe's still crying, his angry wails echoing in Mal's heart. Inara is trying to comfort their baby boy, holding his head against her shoulder, murmuring comforting words against his ear. Mal crosses to the tree, brushing a hand over Abe's back as he passes them.

_Margaret Abigail Reynolds_

_Beloved sister, mother_

_2461-2511_

His fingers trace over the chiseled letters of the memorial, the tears he couldn't shed ten years ago filling his eyes now. He's on his knees in the too-familiar dirt, too lost to hear Inara's footsteps behind him. Abe seems to have calmed a little now that Inara has set him on the ground, testing his crawling skills on the unfamiliar dirt. He crawls over to his daddy, pulling himself up on Mal's blue shirt, grunting to be held. Inara lets him go, lets the infant bring Mal back to the present. Mal notices the baby with a start, takes Abram into his arms, buries his nose in the soft skin of the infant's neck.

Inara joins them, kneeling softly beside the rest of her family while saying a silent prayer for her late mother-in-law. She notices something that was once white, is now stained, propped against the stone. She retrieves it gently, noticing the _Maggie_ scrawled across it. She drops a hand on Mal's shoulder, squeezing hard enough to pull his attention to her and hands the envelope to him.

"Where?"

"Right next to it," Inara gestures. "It looks like it's been here for a while."

Mal opens it slowly, shocked by the first line.

_I never did right by you, or the boy. _

"_Wo de ma_. It's from my father."

Inara's eyes go wide, turning to see the utter surprise on her husband's face. "I didn't know your father was…"

"_I_ don't know my father. I never have."

"Mal… you never said…"

"Never bothered me much, not after I was ten or so. Spent most of my tenth year trying to prove in turn that each of the forty-three ranch hands was my pa, but when that search ended and my ma refused to answer any of my questions, I just let it go. I had forty part-fathers, which added up to more fathers than any of my friends had. I just let it go. Mama never talked about him; I never asked again."

"So your aunt never told you?"

"Don't know if she knew. If anyone knew. Never mentioned it to you, 'cause it hasn't really crossed my mind much 'til now. 'Sides, all you've ever told me of your childhood is how great your pa was, how much of a daddy's girl you were, how devastated you were when he died. Didn't feel right followin' that up with 'Huh. Don't got a dad.'."

"Mal… Are you going to read it?"

"You do it," he says, shoving the letter back into her hands and setting their squirming son on the ground to chase ladybugs.

"It's your father."

"Biology don't change the fact I never knew him," Mal says, eyes focused on his precious baby boy, who giggles as he chases down bugs. "Ain't a power in the 'verse short of death could keep me from knowing Abram. And obviously my pa wasn't dead. Please, 'Nara. You read it first."

Inara reads, reluctantly.

_Maggie,_

_I never did right by you or the boy. Don't have an excuse, and hell, you probably wouldn't want one. I was too young, Maggie. I wasn't ready for a wife, a son. I ran off, joined the army, fought a gorramn war I've only just now learned I was on the wrong side of. The side that killed you. The side that shot at our boy. I was career military, Mags. I didn't give a cow's ass (and growing up here, we sure had a hell of a lot of those, didn't we?) about "unification" or "independence". I wore a uniform, took orders, killed on command. All because I was too gorramn scared to face up to my responsibilities. _

_I hear you did good for yourself, Maggie. Kept the Reynolds ranch running while Laney, Jack, and Em moved to the river, raised the boy to be a good man. All I did was get riddled with holes, lose a leg the Allied government's too gorramn stingy to replace, and retire on half-assed disabled benefits. I came back here, Maggie, to do right by you, only to find you dead because of the Alliance's blockade. I'd heard about the blockade, but not thought much of it. It'd been almost thirty years since I'd been on Shadow and I was too busy getting shot at, doing the shooting on Hera, even two weeks after armistice. That Valley was hell, Maggie, but just a taste of what's awaiting me in a couple years. Never expected to outlive you, never expected to sit by your graveside and write a letter like some lovesick puppy dog. I ain't that, Maggie. Just a man older than he should be, with regrets that have been weighing on him for a while._

_We weren't in love. You probably wouldn't have let me marry you if I had the guts to ask you. But I still should've stayed, provided for my son, actually met him, taught him a few things. I fear, though, he would've been worse for it. This is my last act before I disappear, take that half-assed pension and just fade into the Black. A boat, maybe. Always liked boats. A little one, cargo-hauler, work short routes until the Alliance shuts me down or a pirate shoots me down. Had to do this, though. Had to say sorry. Hopefully I'll find our boy one day, say all this to him. Won't do any good, I know, but this is just me being my selfish self once again._

_Sam_

Inara feels sick at the revelations in this letter, fights down the bile and grips the paper. There was no point in finding this, no point in learning these horrible truths without even giving a full name, any closure. That Mal's father was a purple-belly is hard enough to deal with on its own, but to know that he fought in Serenity Valley will bring him nothing but hurt.

"What's it say?"

"Nothing good," Inara admits honestly, dropping the letter and retrieving Abe, who has crawled up to her, spent from his bug escapades. "Nothing you want to know."

Mal furrows his brow, meeting her pained eyes, and retrieves the letter. She knew he would, but can't watch him read it, has to stand and bounce Abe, walking slowly by the tree. She can tell when he's done by the crinkle of paper followed by "_Hun dan_."

Inara turns back to face Mal, sees the hollow returning to those blue eyes, those eyes she's watched fill with life again. She can't stand to see it all melt away.

"My… _father_… A gorramn purple-belly. A gorramn Alliance lackey who… Serenity Valley, 'Nara! Then to come back and write this piece of _go se_, thinkin' it'll atone for his gorramn sins!"

Abe, who was finally settling in on his mother's shoulder, eyes drooping closed, starts at the shouting, begins to whimper, then lets out a full-on confused, exhausted, angry wail. Inara sighs and continues to rock him, trying to calm him.

"You need to yell, shout, get everything out. I understand that. But he doesn't need to be here for it. We'll wait for you in the shuttle."

Mal watches them walk away before balling the letter in his hand and chucking it hard against the tree. It bounces off ineffectively, only adding to his frustration. He sinks to a squat, taking a deep breath. This man doesn't deserve his anger; this man doesn't have the right to work Mal up this way, to affect his family. He exhales the breath and with it, the emotion. Inara has attempted, several times, to teach him to meditate. All of those attempts ended in disaster, but he has retained a few of the basics. He clears his head, instead focusing on his mother and her memory. This pain is better, more familiar, easier to handle. But it is also less painful than he expected, and he finds himself talking to his mother.

"You'd love them, Mama. I know you would. He is absolutely amazing… his laugh… There's nothing more special in this 'verse than that baby boy's laugh, his smile. He's got this twinkle in his eyes, dark like his mama's. But he's a Reynolds, Ma; he's got the chin, one you said was Grandpa's. The two of them, together, they're so beautiful. I didn't think anyone could be prettier than Inara when I met her, until I saw her hold our son. You didn't have any of that, did you? Someone to watch you grow, talk to your stomach. Someone else to get me when I cried at night. Someone to fight with over whose turn it was to change the diaper… I'm fair sure I wasn't any kind of company until six months, at least. I know from experience now…"

He grows quiet for a moment, suddenly self-conscious that he's talking to the air, saying things he thinks in his head every day but rarely voices, and even then only to his wife. He swallows hard, his voice thick as he finishes.

"Wish you were here. That's about the gist of it. Wish you could hold your grandson, knit him blankets, sing him songs. Hell, Ma, I'd probably let you tell him Bible stories, 'long as you could be here with us. Might have a bit of trouble, seein' as his mama's pretty set on raising him Buddhist, but I'm sure he'd like the stories. But I'm good; don't worry on me, I'm the shiniest I've ever been. Love you."

He raises his fingers to his lips, then brushes them over the stone before standing. As he stands, Mal notices the letter balled next to his boot. He sticks it in his pocket and heads back to the shuttle. He can let his father go, just as soon as he gets a few answers from his aunt or uncles.

Inara's in the pilot's seat of the shuttle that doubles as their home, Abe passed out in his crib in the corner.

"Are you read to go back?" Inara asks gently without turning around, finishing up pre-flight. Mal comes up behind her, resting his hands gently on her shoulders.

"Yeah, let's get going," he answers, dropping a kiss behind her ear. "Thank you."

She turns her head back to look at him, smiling a little sadly. "You're welcome."

"Do you think we'll make it back in time for dinner? I hear there's barbeque chicken and red rice…"

* * *

By the time the shuttle lands on the Stokes land, Mal has returned to his normal self, which both worries and relieves Inara. She tries to ask him about it as they disembark, but Mal has a refreshed and awake Abe in his arms and aunts and cousins clamoring to play with the baby. He gets lost in the crowd, pulled over to one of the picnic tables by the group while his youngest cousin, Rachel, wins her turn to hold Abe. He passes a grin over everyone at Inara as she disappears into the house in search of the rest of the crew.

She sees him next at dinner, which is outside again. They're squished onto one of the picnic benches, between Laney and Si and Zoe and Wash, Abe passed along the family whenever he gets restless, but always returning to his mama. There is no time to talk in private. Still, he seems relaxed, at peace, comfortable with his family. She relaxes as well, enjoying the stories his family is divulging, the stories it would have taken her years to coax out otherwise.

"My favorite Mal story involves a fence and a pile of manure," Hannah is saying after dinner, head resting on her husband's shoulder as the younger cousins clear the table and wrangle the children.

"I have to hear more," Inara encourages the line of conversation.

"No, you don't," Mal says, a grin on his face, arm slung over her shoulders.

"I'll tell it," Laney volunteers.

"Y'all didn't even see it!"

"No, but we've all heard the story enough. When he was about sixteen, they had a real tough yearling they were tryin' to break. Apparently, Mal was workin' with him one day when he just went crazy and chased after Mal. He was so worried about that yearling that he ran straight into the paddock fence and flipped over into a pile of manure."

The table bursts into a familiar laughter, Mal's ears turning a little pink as he laughs right along with them. Inara laughs as well, thinking that this story is not all that hard to believe.

"Or how about that time Aunt Maggie found him in the barn," Keaton adds.

"Oh hey now, Keaton…" Mal warns. "My wife is at the table… And my son!"

"Aw, he's too little to understand, Mal. And I think Inara should know this story."

"Please, Keaton, continue," Inara says, elbowing Mal when he grumbles. "What was Mal doing in this barn?"

"Well, he sure as _guay_ wasn't alone," the younger cousin smiles, those blue Reynolds eyes twinkling at Mal. "Nope, he was with Miss Lily Wang, the rose of Carlton County, who was missing a very important article of clothing."

"Her shirt!" Mal quickly throws in, before any one can think anything dirtier. "I was only fifteen."

"And on solo stall-mucking duty for the next six months," Keaton laughs.

Mal's ears are very red now. The table dissolves into laughter again, and the string of stories continues until the sun sets and Abe is ready for bed. Mal offers to put him down, but Inara begs him off, saying she can take care of it. Mal kisses and cuddles his son to say goodnight. The little one giggles as Mal places a raspberry on his chubby cheek.

"Goodnight, Bubba. Go down good for Mama."

Abe and Inara disappear into the house. Mal eventually gets his aunt alone in the kitchen, helping her carry coffee cups to be washed. They're washing the dishes in amiable silence when Mal finally drops the question he's been harboring since he finished reading the letter.

"Aunt Laney… who's Sam?"

Laney crinkles her brow, wondering at the sudden question. "That's a mighty common name, Malcolm. Mind givin' me a little context?"

"I found a letter from him at my ma's headstone. A letter in which he talks all about how he failed her and 'their boy'. Now, since I'm guessin' I'm Ma's only son, I'd like a little explanation."

Laney drops a coffee mug and meets her nephew's eyes warily, taking a deep breath. "That Sam…"

* * *

TBC 


	5. Part 5

Title: Shadow

Rating: PG. "So there /is/ kissin'..."

Characters: the whole crew, plus toddlers Kacey and Lolly, Baby Abey, the Reynolds-Stokes clan

Pairings: Heavy on the M/I, trying not to neglect the rest of canon (S/K, Z/W, J/Vera)

Summary: Set 4 years post-BDM, Mal and the crew have a job on Shadow.

Author's Note: I had so much fun writing this one. I have a cousin who is currently about Baby Abey's age, so he's really the inspiration for everything Abram does. So this is also dedicated to him. This is the end of this story, but there are more to come. Serra will be returning soon, I promise. :)

Part 5

"Can't believe he went back there," Laney sighs, pulling out a chair from the kitchen table and beckoning for Mal to sit as well.

"Sam Wilkins was just a young kid, a wanderer. Signed onto the ranch just 'bout the time your grandparents got sick. Jack's age, eighteen. Took a shining to our Maggie immediately, and why shouldn't he? Pretty little thing of sixteen, iron-willed, bright smiled. Jack caught 'em in the hayloft a couple 'a times, innocent kid stuff. Then Ma and Pa died, and Maggie lost it, held onto Sam for all she was worth, 'cause he was the only one not gone or mournin' left in her life, 'cause he let her forget, I figure. Their relationship weren't exactly healthy, but we were all so lost at the time, them dying three weeks apart, and me only twenty. The next year I married Silas. Just wanted to leave the ranch, leave the memories. Boys came too. Your mother pitched a mighty fit. I know you don't think that's possible, but she could throw 'em fierce. She refused to come here, so I dragged her. She went running right back after a few months, back to the ranch, to Sam. I guess she relied on him to keep her sanity."

Laney pauses, studies her nephew's face. It's a mask, not revealing anything, which says so much in itself.

"They fought all the time, over the ranch, over Sam's wanderlust. Killed him to stay in one place so long. I figure he never meant to start anythin' real long term with Maggie, but that's how it worked. 'Bout four more years and Maggie learned you were on the way. Changed her life, settled her down. And Sam hit the Black on the next boat out of Carlton County. Couldn't handle that kind of pressure, bein' someone's daddy. Never liked the boy much, never had anything by way of stones, couldn't take any kind of responsibility."

Mal is still silent, won't meet his aunt's eyes, clenches his fist and jaw until it hurts.

"You ain't him, Malcolm. You're an amazin' father to that little boy, got a life full of responsibilities you're meetin' every day, from what I hear. Got a wife, a boat, loyal crew. Wouldn't have any of that if you were anythin' like Sam. Don't even start thinkin' like that."

Abe's crying drifts down the hall, pulls at Mal's heart. He must be extra-cranky tonight if he's giving his mama trouble going down. Usually Inara nursing him is enough to put him right to sleep. Maybe he's teething. Probably; it's about that time.

"I, uh, I should go help 'Nara." Mal rubs at the back of his neck. "Thanks, Aunt Laney." It sounds mostly sincere.

He stands and walks back to the guest room he's sharing with his family. The crying gets louder as he approaches, and he pauses at the cracked door, taking a deep breath before pushing into the room.

"Oh, hey now. What's wrong, Bubba?"

Inara is walking the length of the room, trying to calm the infant, rubbing his back and humming soothingly.

"We teethin' again?" Mal asks, putting the recent conversation out of his mind for now, at least until his baby boy can stop wailing. He crosses to his wife and son, relieving Inara of Bubba for a bit, rocking the boy against his shoulder, pressing kisses to the top of his dark head.

"That seems to be what's going on. I've given him some of the analgesic Simon recommends. Just waiting for him to settle down a little."

Mal offers his pinky to Abe, who chews on it eagerly, quieting to sniffles.

"I did try that, you know," Inara assures him with a raised eyebrow when Mal looks at her triumphantly. "As well as several teething rings meant for this purpose."

"He's a Reynolds," Mal shrugs teasingly, "Stubborn as can be."

Abe has stopped his wailing, is focused intently on his teething, but he is still very much awake. Mal toes off his boots gently, lying back on the comfy bed, balancing Abram on his chest. One hand claimed as teething ring and the other rubbing his son's back, Mal watches Inara ready for bed and neatly arrange all of their belongs. He likes watching her move about like this, feeling Abe's chest rise and fall on his. Makes him feel all manner of domestic, something he never thought would feel.

"Checked with Si. We'll be all set to leave, mornin' after next."

"How do you feel about that?"

"Ready to hit the Black again, clear my head. I've had a lot to take in. Just wanna get to Three Hills and line up new crime."

Inara pauses in folding Abe's dirty clothes and laying out clean ones, smiling at the sleepy picture her husband and son make. "Sheydra waved this afternoon to see if we were interested in picking up a few passengers and taking them to Bena."

"Girls for the training house?" Mal asks, a little uncomfortable as always when this subject comes up. They've made regular stops at the training house on Bena over the past couple years, bringing in supplies. Sheydra often asks Inara for advice and help with the girls, most of whom are still enamored with their former teacher and love having her around. Still, Mal's not entirely comfortable with the whole idea.

"No," Inara says lightly, sidestepping an argument. "A dulcimer teacher, a dance teacher, and a literature tutor."

"All stuffy-like and Core-born?"

"Thank you, dear," she replies, sarcasm dripping sweetly. "And I have no idea. They're willing to pay a very nice fare."

"Another nice legal job? What's this ship comin' to?"

Inara laughs softly, not wanting to do anything hinder to Abe's slumber. "I'm sure we'll be back to thieving and scavenging soon. Don't worry."

She finishes rearranging and crawls onto the bed beside them, lying down at Mal's side, head against his shoulder. Abe's eyes are drooping, lashes fluttering against his round baby cheeks, his teething slowing until his jaw eventually goes slack with sleep.

"He's out," Inara whispers. "I wonder how long he'll last."

"Might get lucky, and he'll sleep through the night."

"Hmm, while he's teething? Unlikely."

"True." He pauses. "Talked to Laney."

Inara pushes herself up on one elbow, meeting his eyes, a stray curl falling across hers. "How did that go?"

Mal sweeps her hair behind her ear before returning his hand to Abe's diapered rump. "Well 'nough. Learned more about what a _hun dan_ my father was and how unhealthy his relationship with my mother was." Mal sighs, closes his eyes. "Somethin' everyone wants to know about their parents."

"None of that changes who your mother was to you, Mal. That man hasn't earned the right to any part of your life. Don't give it to him."

Mal nods. "You're right."

"Can I get that on record?"

He leans down to kiss her. She meets him halfway. They kiss for a few moments, then break apart ever so slightly, lips still barely touching as they drink each other in. Finally, Inara brushes another kiss on Mal's cheek before gingerly grabbing Abe and placing him in the crib.

"We should get as much sleep as possible while he's still out."

* * *

Abe doesn't sleep through the night, but seems to have stopped teething briefly by morning. The next day passes easily and with only the fair amount of embarrassing stories about Mal as a youth. Abe gets used to his relatives on Shadow, a few of them at least, and even lets Aunt Laney take him around on her hip, out of sight of his mother for more than fifteen minutes.

The following morning, the crew of _Serenity _packs up their things while the Reynolds-Stokes clan loads _Serenity_'s hold full of cotton bales.

"Make sure someone waves me when you pop, _dong ma_?" Mal says sternly to his cousin, granting her a warm hug.

Hannah kisses his cheek and laughs, hand resting on her stomach. "I'll make sure. You comin' back anytime soon?"

Mal adjusts the two bags on his shoulder, kicking the dirt a little uncomfortably. "We'll see 'bout that, Hannah."

"This is a good gig, Malcolm. If you get that crop to Three Hills on time, you could have it regular."

"You just want me back here every year."

"That too. You think my mom's gonna let you keep that little boy from her for years at a time?" Hannah asks, nodding towards Laney by the ramp of _Serenity_. The matriarch is saying goodbye to Inara and Abram.

"We'll see how this goes, alright?"

"Shiny," Hannah smiles. "Alright, fly safe."

"Unlikely," a new voice interrupts them. "Just make sure you get yourself out of all the trouble you get yourself in, cous'."

"Thanks, Keaton," Mal laughs, shaking his cousin's hand warmly, slapping him on the back. "Take care, y'all."

He takes his leave and heads over to Inara, Abe, and Laney. The area around the landing pad is crowded with well-wishing cousins. Emmerson's daughter Polly is bidding goodbye to Kaylee and Simon. A bunch of his younger cousins are laughing with Jayne, wishing casual good luck as the mercenary turns to board _Serenity_. Zoe and his uncles are overseeing the loading of the last of the cargo, shaking hands with knowing smiles and a 'see you around'. River and the toddlers are with the gaggle of kids, hugs and giggles all around before River herds Kacey and Lolly back to their parents. His cousins move to collect their children, backing them away from the landing pad to a safe viewing distance. He's already said goodbye to his uncles, but they clap hands to his back as they pass him and walk with Hannah to join the rest of the family.

"Better get out of here, Aunt Laney," Mal says affectionately. "This boat's about to lift off."

"My own nephew, chasin' me off," Laney sighs, handing Abe back to Inara after kissing him one last time.

"Thank you for all your hospitality, Laney. We'll meet you onboard, Mal."

Mal nods and watches them walk up the ramp.

"You're a lucky man, Malcolm. You best take care o' those two."

"Yes, ma'am," Mal laughs, almost hearing his mother say exactly the same thing. "I'll wave ya when we make the drop on Three Hills, have the buyer deposit your share direct. Any last minute instructions?"

"Come back soon."

Mal gives her a stern look.

"Don't give me that, Malcolm Reynolds. You'll get your _pi gu_ back here at least every year at this time to haul this cotton. That's an order, you hear?"

"Yes, ma'am," he sighs, though his chest feels so much warmer and lighter than he ever expected it to be on Shadow.

"Good. Good. I like your crew, your family. That wife o' yours is downright delightful. Hell, things ever go south with you two, I'm kicking you out of the family and keepin' her, _dong ma?_"

"Yes, ma'am. Well, we're on a schedule, so I best see to that." He kisses her cheek, lets her hug him. "I appreciate it. Everything you've done these past few days."

Laney nods understandingly. "Stay safe, Malcolm. Talk to you soon."

She moves off, going to join the rest of her family at a safe distance. Mal surveys the plantation for one last time, forming new memories of those majestic live oaks, the hanging Spanish moss, the swiftly moving river. He views the grand house one last time, sees parts of the other, smaller houses peeking through the trees on either side of the plantation house. Then he waves to the crowd of his family gathered and starts up the ramp, hitting the button to raise the ramp without looking.

"Wash, take us out of the world."

"Aye, Captain."

He feels the oh-so-welcoming hum of _Serenity_'s engines as she roars back to life. Mal smiles, runs his hands over the soft cotton bales. He hears running steps on the catwalks, sees River chasing Kacey and Lolly, who giggle brightly.

"Hey, no running! Not gonna clean blood off my cargo."

River stops, catching the toddlers and sticking her tongue out at him. "Yes, Captain Daddy."

She and the toddlers dance up to the kitchen.

He chuckles slightly, climbing the catwalks, headed for his and 'Nara's shuttle.

"Was a nice job, sir. Smooth."

"Sure was. For now," Mal agrees, nodding to Zoe, who is climbing the stairs towards the crew quarters and cockpit. "Ready for more meals of processed protein?"

"Not for awhile, sir. Your aunt was sure to load us with enough food for about a week, maybe two we keep it refrigerated well."

"Huh. Smart woman. You gonna go make sure your husband doesn't crash us?"

"On it, sir."

"Good. Call me if we're crashin'."

Abe is crawling around the shuttle floor, trying to pull himself up to stand, while Inara unpacks their things. She isn't one to leave those things to later.

"Need some help?" Mal asks.

"No, I don't mind."

Mal scoops Abe up and tickles him. Abe laughs, grabs at Mal's ear. Mal lifts him high, brings him down quickly, the baby's laughter growing. Mal laughs right along with him, usually has trouble stopping himself when his son gets going. He and Abe settle down onto the couch to watch Inara putter, and Mal sighs contentedly, glad to be home.

* * *

El fin

More PC to come


End file.
